


The Perks of Being Human

by lysanatt



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Sabriel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-29
Updated: 2013-09-29
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:13:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysanatt/pseuds/lysanatt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam and Dean are picking up fallen angels. The one Sam finds in Lawrence, however, is quite the surprise since dead angels shouldn't be able to fall. Luckily Gabriel doesn't care about that. Hurt, sore and exhausted, he just wants the perks that come with being human. Especially the perks that are tall, dark and handsome.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Perks of Being Human

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for entire S8
> 
> Written for an anonymous prompt on my Sabriel Sunday: "Well, how about graceless and slightly broken Gabriel getting comfort from Sam. Sexual or otherwise..."

**The Perks of Being Human**

They've been driving all day, looking for the spot. Dean is done for, sleeping heavily, leaning against the Impala's night-cold window. He snores slightly, his mouth half-open. Sam smiles, sad-eyed. It's been hard, looking for fallen angels, finding one ruined shell after another, some alive, some dead. Some broken. Garth keeps track, and his home is more an angel-orphanage than a home these days. 

A car passes by, the sharp light catching the newspaper on the dashboard. "Meteors, Shooting Stars Over Kansas City", the headlines shout.

Sam never thought he'd be back in Lawrence, but he is. He can't remember much, although he's been here... after. They've made calculations, and every minute counts. The angel can't have gone far, if it has left at all. But there has been no talk of found bodies, so Sam thinks that there's still hope finding it alive. Cas will be so happy if they manage to find yet another of his brethren. 

"Poor Cas," Sam whispers. His heart aches for Castiel. It's hard enough to be at odds with Heaven, but the destiny that has befallen them all is cruel. Fate obviously has amused herself, leaving it to Cas and a few other angels with more than half a mind and no broken limbs to pick up the pieces of the Heavenly Host. Cas is in Detroit, trying to find yet another angel. Stubborn fool, trying so hard to be human. Well, Detroit will cure him of that notion. It's a brutal city, but Sam isn't truly worried. Cas can hold his own. He might not have his powers, but he is still a warrior, one of the best fighters Sam has ever known. 

The night swallows them again, the wormhole of the dark road pulling them towards Kansas City. Sam doesn't know where to look, exactly, but he thinks that perhaps one of the parks would be a good place to start: an angel would be able to hide there for days. A good half hour later, Sam drives the Impala into Lawrence Holiday Inn's parking lot. It's a bit too luxurious for them, but they've been driving for eighteen hours, and they need rest. Starting at dawn, Sam knows that they have to find the angel before those who are looking for meteors run into a body or a confused celestial being. There definitely won't be any rest for anybody until they have discovered the whereabouts of the 'meteor'.

Leaving Dean asleep in the car, Sam walks up to the front desk to book them a room. There's a ruckus going on. Not exactly what Sam had expected in a nice hotel. In the dingy motels they usually frequent, but not here. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but your card isn't valid." The receptionist hands the card back to the person making a fuss. The receptionist doesn't even care to look sorry. Mostly he looks as if he's got a stick up his butt and something disgusting under his nose.

Sam can't hear what the guest with the credit card is saying, but one look at him, and Sam would have asked him to leave too. The guy is wearing a strange combination of curtains and a pair of pants three sizes too big for him. Sam raises his eyebrows in surprise. The little guy isn't wearing shoes. 

Then Sam's brain catches up. "Oh!"

The small guy whips around, almost dropping the curtain. For a second they look at each other, wide-eyed and speechless. 

Sam's mouth hangs slightly open. It can't be. It _can't_ be! Lucifer killed him. Lucifer _fucking_ killed him. Sam finally gets a grip and his lips purse in the almost-forming of a 'what' or 'why'. "Ga- Gabriel?"

"Hello, kiddo," Gabriel says, his expression one of pain and confusion. "I could need a bit of help here," he manages before he slides down to sit on the floor, clutching the flowery curtain with shaking hands.

Sam's mind is working overdrive. _Confused, don't understand, Gabriel. He is dead! So good to see him. Want. God, Gabe doesn't know what happened. Want so badly. Is he all right? He's human! God, he's human?_ Forcing himself into action, Sam steps up to the desk. "Can't you see that he's been mugged? If that is the way you treat people who are obviously hurt," Sam says, in his most perfect arrogant-lawyer tone of voice, "I'd be worried. Lawsuits are quite expensive, I'm sure you are aware of that fact. If your company loses, it's going to cost you. Your job, I suppose, don't think the management is going to be too happy with you. And seeing that you were about to throw a defenseless man into the street without helping, losing is ve-"

"No, of course. A mistake." The receptionist pales. "If I may offer you a free stay for the week-end?"

"Just give us your best suite, and get someone to find some suitable clothes for my friend." Ignoring the man behind the desk, Sam kneels down next to Gabriel. 

Gabriel is breathing heavily, his eyes closed. His hands are bruised and there's a gash across his cheek. "Sam-o?" He doesn't open his eyes. "I'm tired."

"You're not dead," Sam says quietly. He doesn't want the receptionist to hear. "You're alive?"

"As much a surprise to me as it is to you, I'll have you know," Gabriel says and winces. He reaches blindly for Sam and manages to get a hold of his arm. "I think I lost my grace."

"Yeah," Sam says. "Angels do that these days." Above him the receptionist has found a room and a key card. He holds out the key card for Sam to take. Sam looks at it briefly and sticks it in his pocket. "Can you walk?" he asks Gabriel.

"I could try to fly. Sure that'd work just as well," Gabriel sighs. "Come on, Samsquatch. You're a big boy. Carry me." Gabriel opens his eyes. There's a brief glint of appreciation in them. "You found me, remember? I'm all your responsibility now."

"Yeah." Sam rolls his eyes and helps Gabriel up, ever so gently. He wraps an arm around Gabriel's waist, letting Gabriel hold on to his neck. "Yeah, I suppose." Sam can't bring himself to tell Gabriel about his little sisters and brothers, and about the fall. They can talk about that later. There are so many things they need to talk about later. Right now, all Sam can think of is that Gabriel is alive. 

He's alive.

Sam's brain decides that he needs to be put on pause again and he stops, frozen in this moment of time where all he can do is look into Gabriel's tired eyes, looking for that spark of defiance and mirth that he used to see there. Gabriel's hand scrabbles over Sam's chest, stopping right over his heart. It's beating wildly already, and Gabriel's touch doesn't make it better. 

"You all right, kiddo?" Gabriel asks, frowning and regretting it instantly. "Ouch. I don't like this... graceless shit."

"I will be," Sam promises, and helps Gabriel down the corridor to their suite, halfway carrying him.

\- 0 -

Sam puts down the phone. "Twenty minutes."

Gabriel doesn't reply right away. He's gulping down his second Coke. "Thanks. I don't like feeling hungry." Gabriel's stomach makes a loud growl, underlining the notion. "I like food. When I want it. Not when this-" He points to his belly. "-demands it. He reaches for a bag of chips that Sam has found in the small cabinet next to the fridge.

Still in a state of disbelief, Sam begins to comprehend. Gabriel is back. He can sense buried emotions digging their way to the surface of his conscious mind, reminding him of how angry he had been with Gabriel. For being a jerk. For being an ass. For being a coward. For being Gabriel. For disturbing Sam's peace of mind with his shining eyes and the lovely smile and the arrogance and the way that Sam's heart made these strangely rushed, fluttering thumps when Gabriel was near.

And then he died, and Sam's heart stopped beating like that.

Now it does it again. Beats faster and flutters like a desperate, caged bird. 

Sitting on the bedside of the master bedroom's soft king size bed, the pink and yellow curtain pooling at his feet, Gabriel looks at Sam expectantly. "Tell me."

No way around it. Sam goes for the abridged version. "Metatron closed Heaven, all angels have fallen and you're human. You're feeling sore and weak because you haven't eaten. And I should probably help you take a bath, because sweat and mud don't become you."

"Wow. That was a bit like those Shakespeare's Complete in thirty minutes. Impressive, Sammy." Gabriel looks a bit less confused. "I'd like a bath. Lucifer?"

"In the cage with Michael, or so we think. No apocalypses. If they have both lost their powers like all other angels we've found, they're not a threat."

"Well, great! Suits him, that bastard." Gabriel manages a tired smirk. "There was something else I wanted to ask you, though, when Lucifer decided to stab me in the back, metaphorically speaking."

Sam looks at Gabriel, understanding nothing. "I'm not sure I..."

"Did you miss me?" The smirk is full-blown, wide and arrogant and so much Gabriel that Sam can't stop himself from sighing, his heart sort of stuck in his throat. 

"I, erm-" Sam doesn't know what to say. 

"Thought so," Gabriel says, reaching out, a finger sliding over Sam's hand. "If I had been conscious all these years, I'd have missed you too. I'm sorry I didn't stop Lucifer before it was too late. Think of all the fun we could have had."

"You saved our lives," Sam says. "We... I owe you." He shivers, the sensation of Gabriel's finger on his skin feels like fire lapping at his skin. "Fun?"

"A little late now. And now I'm... " Gabriel suddenly looks entirely lost. "Human. Not so funny. Not the angel I used to be."

Sam slides down on the carpet, kneeling in front of Gabriel. He understands without truly understanding. Gabriel, God's most fierce warrior, God's messenger, his general, has lost all powers. A being who is almost as old as God and Death has now the lifespan of a human. It's like a brief instant compared to the immortality that he had before. "I'm sorry. At least you're here. Alive."

Gabriel squeezes his eyes shut, as if everything is too much. "Better set things right, then. Find my grace. Restore things in Heaven. Maybe kill Metatron a whole lot of times. Yeah, that'd do."

It feels cruel to do so, but Sam has to remind Gabriel that there is no such solution. "I don't think we can do that. Not unless God returns to restore everything." Sam looks at Gabriel with pity. "What do you want to do until then?"

Sighing and wincing at the same time, Gabriel grabs a handful of Sam's shirt. "Then we'll go find God. And until then I'm going to bathe and eat pizza. And I could use some time teasing you and your dimwit of a brother. I assume he's here somewhere?" There's a bit of fight back in Gabriel's eyes when he finally opens them. Perhaps he has made himself a challenge. Sam wonders if he should be worried. Gabriel, even without grace and powers, is dangerous. 

Maybe that's what Sam finds so fascinating, this constant switching between hurt boy and powerful being, between mean kid and warrior of the people. All the suppressed feelings, hidden in a far corner of his mind are coming back. "I did miss you," Sam finally says, admitting what he has known for years: that losing Gabriel was the loss of more than an ally. "And I don't care whether you are human or not."

"Good to know you aren't biased, baby." Gabriel smiles a teasing smile, the first truly honest one Sam has seen tonight. "Are you helping me bathe or not?"

Sam shakes his head and goes to run a bath. Luckily there's an assortment of bathing oils and bubble bath which Sam uses liberally. If he's helping Gabriel bathe, he prefers something covers up... everything. The scent of coconut and hibiscus spread in the generously large bathroom, bubbles spilling over the edge of the tub before Sam turns off the water. When he returns to the bedroom, Gabriel is curled up on the bed, cuddling a pillow, the corner of the bedspread pulled across his naked chest. Gabriel must be exhausted. It has been days since the angels fell. If Gabriel made his way to the hotel through the wilderness without food or drink, it must have felt a bit like Dean's trip to Purgatory, just with less monsters. Sam feels strangely moved, a deep tenderness for the fallen angel welling up inside him. Maybe it's Gabriel's vulnerability that gets to him. He's seen Gabriel like this once before, defenses down, when he told them about his family, all hurt and angry and lost. 

Sam can't help himself. He slides a hand over Gabriel's hair. It's silken soft, as if there's still a little bit of power left that upholds the lush shine. 

"Sammy?" Gabriel sighs and takes Sam's hand, refusing to let go. 

Gabriel's hand is small, but his grip is powerful enough. Not that Sam wants to let go. The universe has decided to throw Gabriel back to Earth and Sam's not going to complain. No gift horses under microscopes here. It isn't that difficult. Sam is hit by a sudden bout of clarity. He liked Gab... no. That's not correct. Sam hated Gabriel, but he wanted him. Maybe he was falling a little bit in love with him, on the side of the hatred, only to have the budding feeling stabbed to death by Lucifer. No, it's easy enough to understand. Not confusing or complicated at all.

It actually _is_ simple. Sam was in love, and now he is again. Gabriel is strangely enough interested, and Sam's not going to deny Gabriel anything. Oh, Sam's so fucked. Life's short, and when one's a fallen angel, life is over in an instant. Who knows when one of them dies next time? "I'm going to carry you to the bathroom," Sam says, bending down to pick up Gabriel carefully, unable to decide how to break it to Gabriel that he really, really wants him, and preferably right the fuck now, except Gabriel is too exhausted to handle anything like Sam's awakening feelings.

Gabriel clings to him. He hides his head at Sam's neck, and maybe the warm slide on his skin is Gabriel's lips moving over it. Sam makes a low groan. In the bathroom he puts Gabriel down. Gabriel doesn't have the same personal space trouble as Castiel, but he surely doesn't understand the concept of modesty. He simply drops his pants and turns around, naked. He looks exhausted and thin. But his determination isn't lacking. 

"Take your clothes off, Sammy."

Sam is about to protest, but Gabriel frowns, pulling at Sam's shirt. "I'm going to drown if I don't have you with me. Human, remember? I'm too tired, Sam. Please?"

"Can't decide if you're manipulative or just... dunno, demanding and used to getting things your way." Sam sighs and starts unbuttoning his shirt. 

"Both," Gabriel admits, unashamed. "But I'd really, really like to-" He grabs the sides of Sam's shirt and pulls him down. "I'd like to kiss you." 

Sam doesn't manage to say a word before Gabriel's lips are on his. The firm touch sorts out Sam's remaining confusion in no time. In the minute space between Gabriel's lips touching his and the moment when Gabriel's tongue slides into his mouth, Sam _knows_ what he wants, which is a good thing, for so does Gabriel. Luckily it seems to be the same thing that Sam wants. Somehow Sam multitasks well enough to kiss Gabriel and strip off his remaining clothes. Getting into the tub is more difficult. The water is steaming hot and Gabriel hisses as the soapy water soaks into his half-healed wounds. Finally they break apart, they have to, Sam sitting back with Gabriel behind his legs. 

Relaxing into Sam's embrace, Gabriel lets out a deep, relieved sigh. "Glad I found you, kiddo. Never letting you go now." He turns a little, snuggling up, his head on Sam's chest. 

Sam chuckles. "You found me? Oh, Gabe, you're priceless." Sam tightens his arms around Gabriel, feeling utterly dizzy and happy and tingly all over. 

"I know. Shut up and kiss me some more, all this humanity hurts like hell and your erection is poking at my back. My back is sore, by the way. You should give me a massage." 

High maintenance. Sam should have known. He's fine with it, though, because kisses and massage grow into more kisses and hands that stray. Even tired and human, Gabriel can't resist pleasure. With his legs wrapped around Gabriel's waist, Sam leaves little room to breathe between kisses. He simply takes what he can get, catching up with emotions and needs that are fueled by loss and pain. 

Gabriel, too, celebrates his loss. "I'm human," he moans as Sam closes his hand around their hard cocks. "I'm not going to live forever without you, kiddo." Gabriel makes it sound as if it's a good thing, but Sam knows better. He's only the consolation prize, compared to what Gabriel has lost. It warms Sam's heart, though, that Gabriel has thought about it before his fall, knowing that by loving Sam, he would see him wither and die. "Stop thinking," Gabriel demands, "Enjoy. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Sam nods, leaning back, pulling Gabriel on top of him, their hands meeting between them. Water sloshes over the rim of the tub as they move; slow, lazy thrusts into warm hands, before it becomes too much. "Harder," Sam wants, grabbing Gabriel's ass, pulling him closer, wanting it faster. He moans loudly as Gabriel tightens his fist, coaxing Sam's orgasm out of him, no warning before it hits. Gabriel kisses him through it, as far as he can follow, because Gabriel's moans become faster and deeper too, until he freezes, mid-movement, and comes, biting Sam's lip as he lets out a pained sound. He slumps down, eyes closed, exhausted beyond his limit, on Sam's chest. Gabriel is breathing heavily, maybe not entirely in sync with his human vessel yet.

"Maybe we shouldn't have?" Sam murmurs. "But it was good."

"We should." Gabriel finds the energy to protest. "I don't think I could have... waited. Might even make it worth it, being human. I feel better. Still sore. And hungry."

"The pizza man!" Sam declares. "We should get up." He doesn't want to. He could spend eternity with Gabriel here, in a nice tub, hot water, sex and kisses. Sam thinks that his heaven, when that time comes, might look different from what he thought it would. If there is one. They'll have to remedy that later, the current lack of a heavenly afterlife. He kisses Gabriel again, helping him stand. They have things to do. 

Clean and dry, Sam ventures into the bedroom, only to find a bag with the hotel's name on it. There's t-shirts and jeans and pajamas, all of it too big for Gabriel, but it's still better than the charming curtain that Gabriel had found God knows where. It takes time to help Gabriel dress. He's half asleep, leaning into Sam as he stands on one leg so that Sam can pull on the pajama pants. "You just need to eat a bit, then you can go to sleep," Sam says. "You've been living with humans long enough to know how it works." He leads Gabriel to the bed, reluctant to let him go. "I'll call the front desk and find out where those pizzas are. Nap if you like."

Gabriel makes a content noise and places a sloppy kiss, badly aimed, at Sam's cheek. Sam smiles, caught between deep happiness and worry. He nods, determined to do what Gabriel asked him: he'll enjoy, and tomorrow they're gonna talk, sort things out. He walks into the suite's living room, turning on the light. Sam gasps, taking a step back. 

Dean is sitting on the couch, pizza boxes next to him. 

Sam coughs, blushing. Gabriel made him forget everything about Dean, sleeping in the Impala.

"Got 'em from the pizza man," Dean says, pointing at the boxes. "Are you done breaking in the angel? Because there are things I do not want to hear again anytime soon, like you begging for more. It's Gabriel, I assume? Or do you have a crush on another archangel?"

"I do not-" Sam starts but before he can continue, Gabriel dives under Sam's arm, all smirk and arrogance, so much like himself that Sam can't stop himself from laughing. Knowing how much it costs Gabriel to come to his aid, Sam cleverly stops before Gabriel gets all archangel-y on him. Rather Dean than him.

"Dean-o. Good to see you, mutton-head. So, what do you say? Let's eat pizza and then we'll go save the world from your idiocy. Again." Gabriel pulls up the slightly too large pajama pants, before he flops down on the other couch. "Sammy, over here," Gabriel demands, patting the couch. Sam obeys, not that it's a chore. He's never going to leave Gabriel's side if he has a say in it.

"He's human now? Can I kill him?" Dean says, sounding far too happy at the prospect. 

"You can try, but I think that Sammy will be very cross with you." Gabriel grins and grabs a box. "Oh! Meat Lover. Good." He tears off a slice and takes a bite. "Mmm, tastes good," he mumbles, mouth filled with pizza. "So, Dean, tell me," Gabriel urges when he's eaten half the slice. "My little brother. Castiel. So, he's human too. How does that work out for you? With Cas?"

Dean blushes, revealing more than he'd possibly like. "None of your business." He snorts. "I hope there's another bedroom in this dump." He gets up, grabs his duffel and disappears through a door in the opposite end of the room. As he doesn't return, it's safe to say that Dean has found a proper bed. Or maybe he is in a closet, refusing to come out.

"Don't think we're going to have trouble with your darling brother again," Gabriel says, shifting so that he can lean into Sam. "I need more pizza and some sleep, and then we're going to explore more of the pleasant side of being human. You okay with that?" Gabriel leans in and presses a pizza-scented kiss to Sam's mouth.

"Yeah." Sam smiles. He can't remember the last time he felt so happy. "I'm very okay with that."


End file.
